Intro to Series

• Growing up just comes with bumps and scrapes
  • There are things that you MUST LEARN in order to manage and then succeed at life on this side of eternity
    • And there are two types of learners
      • The listen to instructions
      • Have to find out for themselves
        • Sadly, I fall into this category
        • But I don’t think I’m alone. Am I?
      • Learning sometimes comes with difficulty, pains but if it doesn’t happen?
        • You stay stuck. You don’t move forward.  In fact, things suddenly start going in the other direction.
      • So, this sermon series is going to force us into some potentially uncomfortable awareness. I apologize if I offend anyone in advance
        • That is not my intent.
        • But as Christians, we do need to talk honestly with each other.
        • I mean, our whole faith systems depends on us having enough love to deal with. Each other in a truthful fashion, right?
      • Okay, let’s move forward.

I want to begin today by asking everyone to fill in the blank silently to this next question.  It is highly important that you do NOT blurt out what you’re thinking, just keep it to yourself.

• America is being dragged down because….
  • Now look, I think

So, hold onto that answer while I tell you a story

• Underoos story – I’ve told it before because I think it’s so highly instructive for me and for my life.
• I was convinced it was somebody else…it was me.

Dad – Every dumb SOB in the world is out tonight!

• It took me years to realize that statement was self-aware, that he himself was among that

throng he so rudely named.

Read the Scripture

• Romans 3:21-26 - “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.  For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.  This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins.  It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Tell the Story of Paul on the Road to Damascus

• Who was Paul?
  • Philippians 3:4b-6 – “If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law,   But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
• Now look, this moment of self-awareness, when it comes, it can be shocking
  • Just look at what happened to Paul

Now let’s come back to the issue.

The problem with America? – If I’m reading the Scriptures correctly, part of the problem isn’t way over there.  IT’s right inside me.

Scrape away all of the posturing and preening, what we need to realize is that we’re not always the good guys.  And that we think we are…that’s a major part of the problem.

Take for example all the grief generated by David Tepper a few weeks ago.

• An angry billionaire is good for news, keeps the pot stirred, right?
• I heard so many voices decrying the action and declaring the guy a spoiled brat. I mean, that fine, $300k.  To a man of Tepper’s means, it’s only about $1.77.  That’s right, his fine was totally insignificant.
• But now wait?
  • Y’all want to run him out of town and think he’s the worst guy in the world.
  • While it might not have been a drink thrown, wasn’t there some kind of childish action you displayed.
    • I know I have!
    • And now maybe make it more real – have you ever done something really wrong and gotten the equivalent of a $1.77 fine?
      • Of course you have.
      • So, are you better than David Tepper?